Challenge clear to 49ers, Pack

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, January 2, 1997

In their eyes, it's simple. If you're playing a pass-oriented team, then you beat the crap out of them for 60 minutes.

"The last two times we've played them, we've shown we don't care about the hoopla," said Packers strong safety LeRoy Butler. "It's a great offense when it's run correctly, but we've run our defense correctly against them. The only way to beat a finesse team is to get physical with them."

Although quarterback Brett Favre has received most of the attention when it comes to the Packers' success this season, it's the defense that has made Green Bay a strong candidate for a Super Bowl appearance.

The NFL's top defense resides here - a unit that has produced 37 turnovers (compared with 16 in 1995), creating several of the opportunities that Favre and his offensive mates capitalized on.

Now, that defense will focus on the 49ers again. The Packers used an aggressive defensive scheme in both a playoff upset of the 49ers last season and a 23-20 victory on Oct. 14. Expect more of the same during Saturday's game.

"Last year was just an aggressive game plan by (defensive coordinator) Fritz Shurmur," said Packers free safety Eugene Robinson, who joined the team this season. "He attacked, blitzed; if people came over the middle, they were getting shoved to the ground.

"They were real feisty. They weren't afraid to be in someone else's backyard. This season, we were just as aggressive. We just had a couple mistakes that we would've liked back because they scored off of them."

Robinson is one reason why the Packers' defense has become so dominant. The 11-year veteran has brought experience and leadership to the unit following a trade from Seattle. Defensive tackle Santana Dotson, signed as an unrestricted free agent, is another. He has improved an already impressive defensive line that features Reggie White.

The team's young cornerbacks also have matured, opening up more blitzing opportunities. And Butler has become one of the game's best all-around safeties; he had five interceptions and 6-1/4 sacks this season.

Then there's Shurmur. He consistently has created strong strategies for defending the 49ers. Packers coach Mike Holmgren, the 49ers' offensive coordinator from 1989-91, was impressed by Shurmur's work when Shurmur coordinated the Los Angeles Rams defense.

"He would always do something interesting," Holmgren said. "We had better people, but he always found a way to keep things close."

Now Shurmur has more talent to work with. And he's created a strategy that other 49ers opponents have mimicked, including Carolina and Philadelphia.

"You're seeing other teams take more chances against us," said 49ers tight end Brent Jones. "Teams are being more physical with us down the field. They're holding us more, and hitting us after the 5-yard limit. But officials aren't calling it. If I was a defensive coordinator, I would tell my people to hold down the field because the chances of it not getting called are good."

So the 49ers know what to expect on Saturday, and the Packers don't plan any major changes. Oh, they're concerned about Jerry Rice, and especially with the scrambling ability of Steve Young. But they've also won with their strategy before.

"We're a physical defensive team," said Packers defensive end Sean Jones. "We don't look at them and say we're playing Steve Young, now let's do something extra. You play them the same way you play everyone else." &lt;